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After 54 Years, a New Name: Central Container Is Now Central Package and Display

Original Press Release

After 54 Years, a New Name: Central Container Is Now Central Package and Display

Press release date: December 11, 2012

Minneapolis, MN - Central Container Corp., a leading provider of customized packaging and point-of-purchase display solutions, will introduce a new name and logo on New Year's Day 2013. Having evolved from a small producer of corrugated brown boxes to a "total packaging solutions" provider, the company serves customers in multiple industries who depend on its design studio and material options to create products ranging from foam-lined packaging for delicate instruments to exquisite gift packaging, jewelry boxes, and game boxes; consumer packaging for cereal to golf balls; retail-ready packaging and POP displays, as well as Central's original product-corrugated boxes and partitions. The new name, Central Package and Display, better describes this broad range of capabilities.

Medical device and high-tech manufacturers work with Central's structural design staff to produce protective packaging for delicate instruments and goods. The engineered packaging may use flexible cushion foams or fluted plastics, among other materials. The company also makes static-control products, and distributes related items, including ESD-safe static shielding bags.

Central's investment in manufacturing capabilities ranges from large-format, multi-color, direct print and die cutting to litho label mounting and specialty gluing geared to the display and shelf packaging markets. Packaging engineers and product managers work with Central's packaging and display designers to develop custom designs that are eye-catching, innovative, and highly functional.

"In the markets we serve, success depends on diverse capability, driven by innovative design, and executed with outstanding customer service," says James Haglund, CEO.
"With the new name, Central Package and Display, we're emphasizing our core competencies of protective packaging, consumer packaging, and point of purchase (POP) displays, better describing who we are and what we do."

A Partner to Manufacturers
Through five decades when the manufacturing segment of the U.S. economy changed dramatically, Central Container's management recognized manufacturing concepts that made sense and that would last-concepts such as Just In Time (JIT) delivery, Lean Manufacturing, and Quality Systems. These were not just slogans. They were better ways of doing business in an increasingly competitive global economy. Central grew stronger with these systems in place, training its workers in them and undergoing audits and certifications as required. Indeed, Central has made continual investments in equipment, facilities, and human resources and has never had to resort to layoffs, even through tough economic times. "To thrive in today's world, we need to be adaptive, finding ways to add more value for our customers as a supply chain partner," says Haglund.

In 1959, when the company was founded, none of these trends could be foreseen. The company struggled to compete in a marketplace that by the '70s was dominated by integrated suppliers who grew trees, made paper, and converted finished goods. After Haglund purchased the company in 1975, Central began to implement new, streamlined procedures and to invest in technology. Haglund believed that the company's success would rest on answering a wider range of customer needs with exceptional service and integrity. Today, in addition to the drive for Lean Manufacturing resulting in faster turn times at lower overall cost of ownership, a focus for earth-friendly or "Green" packaging has become a requirement with many customers.

According to Haglund, "Sustainability has become a major social issue, and providing sustainable packaging solutions is not just an opportunity, but a responsibility at Central. Lean and Green are complementary disciplines."

Important in the company's development was the 2005 purchase of Fisher Paper Box, another Minneapolis company, which specialized in set-up, gift-style boxes and folding cartons. Produced from solid fiber rather than corrugated materials, rigid boxes can be wrapped in printed cover sheets to create unique, sophisticated boxes for soaps, candles, and delicious-looking food gifts. Creative sales and marketing kits provide a high-end experience for a memorable first impression. These capabilities have provided synergies for the Central product line, as many customers have applications in both the corrugated and solid fiber worlds.

The year 2013 will see an evolution for the container maker to Central Package and Display. The company looks forward to continuing to provide options as a supply chain partner and practitioner of Lean Manufacturing concepts, designing and producing packaging.

About Central Container Corp.
Experienced packaging specialists and designers of point-of-purchase displays, Central Container Corp. is introducing a new name, Central Package and Display, and a new tagline, "Delivering More Than Packaging." Our capabilities run from innovative custom concepts to structural prototypes, production through distribution. We are proud to have received numerous quality and service awards, including Medtronic Supplier of the Year, AICC Innovator of the Year Award Lean/Green, Enterprise Minnesota Lean and Green Manufacturer, and ASI Certificate of Excellence in Food Packaging Safety. For more information, please visit www.centralcontainer.com or our new website, www.centralpackage.com. For inquiries, please call 763-425-7444.